2016-2021 Delta Region 

Five-Year Development Plan

State of Tennessee

Bill Haslam, Governor

Ted Townsend, Governor’s Designee

Brooxie Carlton, Alternate

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 27th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

tn.gov/ecd
State of Tennessee Delta Region Five-Year Development Plan

Governor Bill Haslam

Ted Townsend, Governor’s Designee

Chief of Staff

Brooxie Carlton, Alternate

Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Rural Development

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

312 Rosa L Parks Avenue, 27th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

tn.gov/ecd 

Tennessee Delta Region Local Development Districts 

Memphis Area Association of Governments

8289 Cordova Rd, Suite 103

Cordova, TN 38016

maagov.org

Northwest Tennessee Development District

124 Weldon Dr.

Martin, TN 38237

nwtdd.org

Southwest Tennessee Development District

102 E. College St. 

Jackson, TN 38301

swtdd.org 

Introduction: Plan Development Overview

The Tennessee Delta Five-Year Development Plan outlines the focus for economic and community 

development for the 21 counties in West Tennessee, particularly on the relationship between the 

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) and the Delta Regional 

Authority (DRA). The plan incorporates the DRA goals and strategies, Governor Haslam’s and TNECD’s 

goals and long-term objectives and feedback from those who are involved in economic development in 

West Tennessee. 

During the development of the Regional Development Plan III (RDP III), the Delta Regional Authority held 

a listening session in Jackson, Tennessee; that feedback has been incorporated into the document. The 

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development is the partnering agency for the 

Delta Regional Authority in Tennessee. In April of 2015, a new division was created at TNECD to focus on 

improving economic development in the rural areas of the state, which will benefit the primarily rural

Delta region. 

Amy New was announced as the Assistant Commissioner for Rural Development and began a listening 

tour across the state to better understand what the department could do to assist rural communities. 

This followed a listening tour conducted by Commissioner Randy Boyd after his appointment in January 

2015. Feedback from these listening sessions has been used to develop a suite of new programs from 

TNECD focused on Rural Development that will be rolled out beginning in 2016. Feedback from those

listening sessions was also used to develop this plan. Additionally, a survey was distributed to partners 

of the Delta Regional Authority including members of the Delta Leadership Network, staff of the Local 

Development Districts and elected officials. Those survey results have been incorporated as part of this 

plan’s development. 

Summary of Greatest Challenges and Opportunities

Eight Rural Development listening sessions were held in the DRA communities in West Tennessee. Local 

elected officials and economic development professionals were invited to attend. The top three issues 

from those sessions, as well as across the state, were a) site development and site inventory; b)

education and workforce development; and c) capacity building. Under site development, the 

participants noted that there is a lack of basic infrastructure for potential sites, that there is little 

funding available to build out infrastructure without a job commitment, and that marketing assistance is 

needed for sites. The main issues under education and workforce development were that students are 

uninterested in careers in manufacturing, that there is a lack of employee soft skills, and that there 

needs to be better alignment among the education and workforce development providers. Under 

capacity building, the primary issues related to a lack of training for local leaders and economic 

developers, a need for technical assistance in the rural communities for specialized projects (like retail 

development) and assistance needed to facilitate partnerships and coordination of resources. 
In the survey sent in January of 2016 to the elected officials, Delta Leadership Network and local 

development districts in the DRA region, respondents were asked which of the three goals of the RDP III 

were most important. More than 53% identified the Workforce Competitiveness goal as most important 

followed by the Infrastructure goal at 43%. Under the Workforce Development goal, the participants 

indicated that leveraging and connecting higher education institutions, improving the readiness of the 

region’s K-12 students and building a pipeline of talent for current and future employers were the most 

important strategies. The most important strategy under the Infrastructure goal was to improve access 

to digital infrastructure, followed by supporting deal-ready site development and building and 

strengthening the region’s basic infrastructure. 
Section A: Challenges and Opportunities: The State of the State

The Delta Region of Tennessee has historically been distressed. The economy has been based on 

agriculture and manufacturing, and the area is mostly rural. As shown in Figure 1, this region is growing 

more slowly than the rest of the state, and many Delta Region counties are losing population. The per 

capita income in every county in West Tennessee - other than Shelby County and its suburb Fayette 

County - is lower than the state average. The average annual wage is also lower than the state average 

in every community except Shelby County, where Memphis is located. As shown in Figure 2, the 

unemployment rate over the last year and in the last month for which numbers are available (November 

2015) is above the state and national average levels for every county in West Tennessee. Additionally, 

there are discouraged workers who have given up searching for work and people who are employed 

part-time that would like to be employed full-time. 

These numbers are similar to the numbers across the Delta, as reported in the DRA Regional 

Development Plan III. The Delta was hit harder by the Great Recession beginning in 2007 than many 

other parts of the country, and it has taken longer to fully recover. Additionally, the poverty rate is 

higher in the Delta than the rest of the country and higher in the Delta portions of each state than the 

states as a whole. (Source: RDP III). 

However, it is not just doom and gloom for the Tennessee Delta. In 2015, Tennessee announced more 

than 25,000 job commitments – the most ever announced in one year. Since 2011, 17,397 jobs have 

been announced in West Tennessee. The Governor’s Rural Task Force was created as was the Rural 

Development division of TNECD to ensure that the success that cities across the state have seen is 

translated to the rural areas. Their overall goal is to eliminate the distressed counties in the state, and 

they have announced over $8 million in new programs to help meet that goal by developing 

entrepreneurs in the downtown business districts, developing available land for industrial sites and 

giving grants to communities showing success with the Governor’s priorities. 
FIGURE 1: West Tennessee Population and Income Statistics

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates; UT CBER 2015 Population Projections; U.S. Bureau of 

Labor Statistics, LAUS; Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Available Labor Nov. 

2015; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Bureau of Labor 

Statistics, QCEW

County 2014 

Population

Population 

Change 

(2010-2014)

Population 

Forecast 

(2020)

Per Capita 

Personal 

Income 2014

2014 Annual 

Average 

Wage

Benton 16,145 -2.1% 16,741 $32,659 $29,827

Carroll 28,370 -0.5% 28,782 $33,184 $32,165

Chester 17,379 1.4% 18,978 $29,417 $31,697

Crockett 14,668 0.6% 15,080 $36,472 $38,238

Decatur 11,666 -0.8% 12,077 $33,878 $34,976

Dyer 37,935 -1.0% 39,872 $36,918 $35,869

Fayette 39,011 1.6% 48,510 $50,890 $40,222

Gibson 49,472 -0.4% 52,438 $34,595 $33,458

Hardeman 25,965 -4.7% 27,278 $27,011 $35,070

Hardin 25,870 -0.6% 26,783 $35,383 $36,814

Haywood 18,185 -3.2% 18,128 $29,707 $36,943

Henderson 28,009 0.9% 30,298 $30,916 $33,553

Henry 32,204 -0.4% 34,055 $36,345 $34,074

Lake 7,631 -2.6% 8,579 $23,582 $28,562

Lauderdale 27,382 -1.6% 29,186 $25,468 $32,877

Madison 98,178 -0.1% 106,352 $37,571 $38,971

McNairy 26,267 0.7% 27,760 $27,774 $31,797

Obion 30,941 -2.7% 31,559 $35,704 $33,917

Shelby 938,803 1.2% 981,022 $44,705 $51,719

Tipton 61,623 0.9% 71,196 $33,626 $33,910

Weakley 34,373 -1.9% 36,360 $32,584 $30,715

TN DRA 

Region

1,570,077 0.4% 1,661,034 $40,611 $47,033

Tennessee 6,549,352 3.2% 7,112,424 $40,457 $45,202
FIGURE 2: West Tennessee Employment Statistics

Definitions: The labor force is the sum of employed and unemployed. Persons who are neither 

employed nor unemployed are not in the labor force. This category includes retired persons, students, 

those taking care of children or other family members, and other who are neither working nor seeking 

work.

Available labor includes: 1) Discouraged workers - persons who want jobs but have given up searching 

because they do not think they can find work. To be classified as discouraged, one must have searched 

for work during the prior year and be explicitly reported as currently available for work; 2) Unemployed 

workers - persons who did not find work at all during the survey week and were currently available for 

work; and 3) Partially unemployed - persons who worked less than full time during the survey week. 

Data used in producing these estimates comes from the monthly Tennessee Labor Force Estimates 

Summary, the monthly Unemployment Insurance claims reports, the 2008-2012 American Community 

Survey 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau), and national unemployment statistics.

County

Labor 

Force 

Nov. 2015

Discouraged 

Workers 

Nov. 2015

Unemployed 

Workers 

Nov. 2015

Partially 

Employed 

Workers 

Nov. 2015

Total 

Available 

Labor 

Nov. 

2015

12 Month 

Unemployment Rate 

(Nov. 2014 

through 

Nov. 2015)

Unemploy

-ment 

Rate Nov. 

2015

Benton 6,598 40 500 10 550 8.2% 7.6%

Carroll 12,116 70 940 10 1,020 9.0% 7.7%

Chester 8,104 40 450 10 500 6.4% 5.6%

Crockett 6,808 30 430 10 470 6.9% 6.4%

Decatur 4,458 30 360 0 390 8.8% 8.1%

Dyer 16,411 100 1,270 40 1,410 7.6% 7.7%

Fayette 17,627 90 1,110 30 1,230 6.7% 6.3%

Gibson 20,875 120 1,510 40 1,670 7.9% 7.2%

Hardeman 9,380 50 690 30 770 8.0% 7.4%

Hardin 10,050 60 700 10 770 7.7% 7.0%

Haywood 7,628 50 610 20 680 8.9% 8.0%

Henderson 11,993 70 940 20 1,030 8.5% 7.9%

Henry 13,624 70 870 10 950 7.1% 6.4%

Lake 2,039 10 180 10 200 8.7% 8.6%

Lauderdale 9,572 70 900 20 990 9.3% 9.4%

Madison 46,767 210 2,700 80 2,990 6.3% 5.8%

McNairy 8,772 60 700 10 770 8.9% 8.0%

Obion 12,516 80 1,050 20 1,150 9.0% 8.4%

Shelby 428,301 2,140 27,320 660 30,120 7.0% 6.4%

Tipton 27,250 150 1,920 40 2,110 7.6% 7.0%

Weakley 15,800 80 990 20 1,090 7.3% 6.3%

TN DRA 

Region

696,689 3,620 46,140 1,100 50,860 7.2% 6.6%

Tennessee 3,057,198 13,040 165,570 3,680 182,290 6.0% 5.6%
Section B: Governor’s Goals, Priorities and Programs

Governor Haslam was reelected in November 2014 with the largest reelection margin in modern 

Tennessee history. This mandate has allowed him to continue to make progress in his top priorities of 

education and job creation. 

Education:

With the creation of the Tennessee Promise, the only program in the country to give every graduating 

high school senior the opportunity to earn a certificate or associate’s degree free of charge, and 

Tennessee Reconnect, an initiative to help adults in Tennessee complete their higher education, Haslam 

has set the stage for the Drive to 55, the effort to get 55% of Tennesseans equipped with a college 

degree or certificate by 2025. 

Job Creation and Economic Development:

Tennessee was the “State of the Year” according to Business Facilities magazine for 2013 and 2014, the 

first state to win the award in back-to-back years. More than 25,000 jobs were created in the state in 

2015, a record number for Tennessee. 

Governor Haslam has set a vision for Tennessee to be the number one state in the Southeast for highquality jobs. The Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has been tasked with 

helping to reach that vision and has set five long-term objectives: 

1. Have 55% of job commitments above the county median wage

2. Be in the top two in per capita personal income in the Southeast

3. Be number one in capital investment per capita in the Southeast

4. Have the lowest unemployment rate in the Southeast

5. Have no distressed counties by 2025 

(“Distressed” counties are those that are in the bottom 10% of counties in the nation based on the 

three-year unemployment rate, per capita personal income and the poverty rate. For fiscal year 2016, 

the Tennessee Delta Region has four distressed counties: Hardeman, Lake, Lauderdale, and McNairy. 

The list of distressed counties will be issued by TNECD each summer.)

In addition to the Governor’s top priorities, TNECD is focused on developing our Delta communities. The 

primary initiatives are briefly described below. 

Rural and Community Development Programs:

The Governor’s Rural Taskforce was developed in 2015 to bring together many of the resources that are 

available for rural communities. The task force will coordinate programs and funding and develop new 

initiatives to eliminate the distressed counties in the state. 
Through the ThreeStar program, Governor Haslam has set the focus on five areas that are critical to the 

success of Tennessee communities: 

 jobs and economic development

 fiscal strength and efficient government

 public safety

 education and workforce development

 health and welfare

Each year the communities receive a “report card” showing their status and how they progressed over 

the previous year. The report card enables them to evaluate the success of their community 

development initiatives and how they compare with the rest of the state. 

The Community Programs division of TNECD coordinates the federal funding (including Community 

Development Block Grants and DRA funding) that flows through the department to assist communities 

with community and economic development, particularly focused on infrastructure development. 

The Select Tennessee program provides opportunities for communities to develop and certify their 

available sites for industrial development. Through the certification program, site selection consultants 

certify qualified sites that are then marketed by TNECD. The Site Development Grant program offers 

assistance to certified sites and those working toward certification to make improvements. And the 

Property Evaluation Program helps communities evaluate potential sites and prioritize their investment 

into sites. 

The Tennessee Main Street program helps communities develop their downtown business districts, and 

the Tennessee Downtowns program provides a structure that is based on Main Street principles for 

communities who may just be getting started on downtown revitalization. Ten Delta communities 

participate in the Main Street program, and nine have participated in Tennessee Downtowns. Through a 

partnership with the Community Development Block Grant program, TNECD awards Commercial Façade 

Improvement Grants to Tennessee Main Street and Tennessee Downtown communities. 

Beginning in fiscal year 2016, TNECD will work with communities to develop asset-based strategic plans. 

Plans in the first year will be focused on distressed counties, then other counties will be added each 

year. 

Tourism Enhancement Grants will be awarded beginning in fiscal year 2016 for projects that increase 

tourism revenues for communities in the Delta Region and throughout the state. 

Through these programs and the economic development incentives offered by TNECD through the 

FastTrack Infrastructure Development Program and Job Skills Training programs, Tennessee 

communities have a toolkit for economic and community development that prepares them for success. 
Section C: Alignment of State Priorities with Delta Regional Authority Priorities and Implementation 

Plan

 

Through the Strategic Planning process, the DRA developed three priority goals, and strategies that will 

be implemented to meet each of those goals. Each project in which the DRA invests, including any 

projects in Tennessee, must address at least one of these goals. Tennesseans were involved in the 

development of the goals and in the entire strategic planning process. This section of Tennessee’s plan 

outlines the DRA goals and strategies as found in the RDP III, and how those are supported by priorities 

in Tennessee. 

Goal 1: Workforce Competitiveness – Advance the productivity and economic competitiveness of the 

Delta workforce

DRA Strategies and Actions: 

 Build on the momentum of the Re-Imagining the Delta Workforce initiative to create a strong 

pipeline of talent to support current and future employers in the Delta region. 

 Improve the workforce readiness of the region’s K-12 students and adult population by 

increasing the number of internships, work co-op programs, and other initiatives, with a focus 

on soft skills and employability. 

 Create awareness of opportunities in Delta communities to attract talent from outside of the 

region. 

 Continue initiatives to improve the health and wellness of the Delta workforce to elevate the 

productivity and competitiveness of the region’s employers. 

 Pursue strategic initiatives to better leverage and connect the Delta region’s higher education 

institutions for workforce development and economic development. 
Tennessee Activities:

Through the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect efforts, the State has invested in initiatives to 

ensure that the future workforce meets the needs of employers. These initiatives of Governor Haslam 

focus on post-secondary preparation of the workforce. Additionally, Tennessee has been recognized as 

the fastest improving state in the nation according to the National Assessment of Education Progress 

(NAEP), which is commonly known as the Nation’s Report Card and which tests fourth and eighth grade 

students in reading and math. 

Health and wellness is an important part of Governor Haslam’s initiatives. Through the Three-Star 

Community Development program, each community is tracking the obesity rates of their 8th grade 

students and implementing programs to address obesity in their youth. 

Tennessee has a strong system of higher education institutions from the Tennessee Centers of Applied 

Technology and Career Centers. These provide training and certifications to the University of Tennessee 

system and private colleges and universities. These institutions are building partnerships with the 

business community, new and expanding industries and K-12 institutions to ensure that they are 

meeting the needs of the current and future workplace. 

For DRA funding, Tennessee will prioritize projects that address the DRA strategies listed above as well 

as these Tennessee Strategies: 

 Help meet the goals of the Drive to 55 and increase post-secondary attainment rates

 Prepare children to enter school ready to learn

 Increase high school graduation rates

 Support the Workforce 360° partnership

 Advance STEAM curriculum throughout the K-12 education system

Goal 2: Infrastructure – Strengthen the Delta’s physical, digital and capital connections to the global 

economy

DRA Strategies and Actions: 

 Build and strengthen the region’s basic infrastructure (water, wastewater, electricity and gas) to 

stimulate job growth and capital investment. 

 Make strategic investments in the region’s transportation infrastructure (highways, rail, waterbased transport and air travel) to support the growth of key industries. 

 Expand and improve access to affordable digital infrastructure (broadband internet, cellular and 

satellite access) across the region, especially in areas where it is currently deficient. 

 Support state and local economic development organizations and local development districts in 

their efforts to put in place deal-ready sites for business recruitment and expansion projects. 
 Improve capital access throughout the Delta, especially in non-urban areas where it is lacking 

most. 

Tennessee Activities: 

Through grant programs that support community infrastructure and industrial site infrastructure, TNECD 

and the Tennessee Department of Transportation work to expand basic infrastructure in ways that 

support economic development and quality of place. 

Additionally, the expansion and adoption of broadband has been identified in the Tennessee DRA 

survey, the rural development listening sessions and Commissioner Boyd’s listening sessions as crucial to 

furthering economic development in the state through educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. 

An assessment of the use and adoption of broadband will be conducted by TNECD in 2016, and the 

results will be used to develop a plan for the expansion of broadband throughout the state that will be 

implemented throughout this Development Plan execution period. 

Entrepreneurial development assistance and capital access are also being addressed by TNECD through 

their support of LaunchTN, a public-private partnership focused on supporting the development of highgrowth companies in Tennessee. 

In addition to these programs, Tennessee will focus DRA funding opportunities on the strategies listed 

above and these Tennessee Strategies: 

 Develop basic public infrastructure that supports community and economic development

 Support the expansion, adoption and use of broadband 

 Expand the availability and readiness of industrial sites 

 Implement programs that support entrepreneurs and access to capital

Goal 3: Community Competitiveness – Facilitate local capacity building within Delta communities, 

organizations, businesses and individuals

DRA Strategies and Actions:

 Develop new strategic initiatives and continue existing programs that build capacity among local 

leaders in Delta communities. 

 Emphasize programs and investments to advance entrepreneurship and high-growth business 

development in Delta communities, ensuring that the unique innovation assets found within the 

region’s urban areas are leveraged to benefit the entire region, including rural areas. 

 Enrich the quality of place of Delta communities through catalyst projects and creative placemaking. 

 Encourage initiatives centered on social innovation, social entrepreneurship and social equity to 

address critical challenges facing Delta communities while also providing opportunities to attract 

and retain talent. 
Tennessee Activities: 

TNECD understands the importance of diverse communities that recognize and build upon their 

individual assets. The Department’s mission, “We are passionate about developing dynamic, diverse 

economies and thriving communities for generations of Tennesseans,” shows that TNECD is committed 

to developing our communities, businesses and people. Through local leadership programs, regional 

programs like the West-Star Leadership Program and participation in the Delta Leadership Network, 

Tennessee has invested in the development of elected officials, business owners, education leaders and 

community leaders. With programs like Main Street and Tennessee Downtowns, place-making and 

quality of life are emphasized. 

Tennessee will support this DRA goal through the following Tennessee Strategies: 

 Support entrepreneurs through increasing access to capital and services 

 Develop the capacity of the people of the Tennessee Delta through effective leadership training 

programs

 Advance the urban and rural areas of West Tennessee through asset development and creative 

place-making

 Provide technical assistance to local governments

An overarching goal for TNECD as well as the Governor’s Rural Taskforce is to eliminate distressed 

counties in Tennessee. Each of the DRA Goals, DRA Strategies and Activities and Tennessee Strategies 

support this long-term objective. As the primary, explicit economic development goal of the State of 

Tennessee, activities and projects that address this goal along with a DRA goal will be given priority 

consideration for investment. 
Section D: State Resources: Best Practices, Tools and Models for Economic Development

State Resources:

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has three regional Jobs 

Base Camps in the Delta region. The regional staff work alongside the communities to recruit and grow 

businesses in the area. They assist with strategic planning, help businesses who needs resources to 

expand, and recruit new companies to the area. 

The Rural Development division at TNECD (tnecd.com/rural) was created in 2015 in response to 

feedback from listening sessions that expressed the need for more resources for the rural areas 

throughout the state. Rural Development has aligned existing programs at TNECD and created new 

programs to promote economic and community development and ensure our communities are among 

the best places in the world to live and work. 

The creation of the Governor’s Rural Taskforce, also in 2015, brought together resources from a wide 

range of organizations to advance rural communities and economic development. Its members 

represent state, federal and local government and organizations that assist communities and families,

and they work toward the long-term objective of eliminating distressed counties from Tennessee. 

LaunchTN is focused on supporting the development of high-growth companies through work in five key 

areas: entrepreneurship, commercialization, capital, corporate engagement and outreach. Each region 

has a Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerator. The accelerators in West Tennessee are focused on 

agriculture in the Northwest and healthcare and medical devices in the Memphis area while the 

Southwest accelerator provides a makerspace and coworking opportunities while training 

entrepreneurs. These accelerators are supported by TNECD, local funding and LaunchTN. 

Best Practices in Tennessee’s Delta Region:

Southwest:

The Southwest Tennessee Development District (SWTDD) created the SOAR - Strategic Opportunities to 

Advance our Region - program to assist the eight counties in the Southwest District in developing an 

asset-based investment program that focuses on sustainable job creation. SOAR consists of four basic 

steps: 1) each county must pass a resolution to participate in and lead the program in their county; 2) 

local leadership must take a self-assessment survey which covers seven focus areas of economic 

development (agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, tourism, retail development, education/

workforce development, and quality of life); 3) professionals in each of the focus areas analyze the 

surveys and compare local views with their professional observations and statistical data; 4) a facilitated 

asset-based investment strategy is developed with priorities and responsibilities for implementation.

(Information provided by SWTDD; http://wtenews1.com/?p=17345)
NADO recognized the SOAR program in 2015 for innovation as a best practice in rural economic and 

community development.

Northwest:

The Northwest Tennessee Development District (NWTDD) formed the Northwest Tennessee Economic 

Alliance to bring employment opportunities to the region in a new and unique way. Recognizing rural 

counties were being overlooked by prospective employers who were focused on the larger metropolitan 

areas, the Alliance meets regularly to better market this rural region as a whole, raise funds, and 

brainstorm innovative ideas to bring employment opportunities to the area. The Alliance created a 

website that directs interested employers to the region and resources; published new marketing 

materials for distribution at conferences and other engagements; received training from marketing 

consultants; and attended trade shows to spread the word about the economic opportunities in 

Northwest Tennessee. The organization is currently reassessing its priorities to be more aligned with the 

TNECD Rural Development initiatives. (Information provided by NWTDD)

Memphis Area:

The Memphis Area Association of Governments (MAAG) assisted with the development of the MidSouth Regional Greenprint. In November 2011, Shelby County Government was awarded a $2,619,999 

Sustainable 61 Communities Regional Planning Grant from the United States Department of Housing and 

Urban Development (HUD) to prepare the Mid-South Regional Greenprint and Sustainability Plan. 

The 25-year plan is designed to enhance regional sustainability across state lines by establishing a 

unified vision for a region-wide network of green space areas, or Greenprint. The Greenprint serves to 

address long-term housing and land use, resource conservation, environmental protection, accessibility, 

community health and wellness, transportation alternatives, economic development, neighborhood 

engagement, and social equity in the Greater Memphis Area.

The Greenprint study area includes the Memphis and West Memphis Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations (MPOs), covering four counties and 18 municipalities in the states of Tennessee, Arkansas, 

and Mississippi. The study area boundaries include Shelby County, TN, and the cities of Arlington, 

Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland, Memphis, and Millington; northern DeSoto County, MS, 

including the cities of Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Southaven, and Walls; eastern Crittenden 

County, AR, including the cities of West Memphis, Marion and Sunset; and western Fayette County, TN, 

including the cities of Piperton, Gallaway, and Braden.

The idea for the Greenprint Plan was borne from the work of the Mid-South Greenways Steering 

Committee, a voluntary ad hoc group of parks, greenways, and open space stakeholders from 

throughout the region. The group has 34 member organizations and serves as a convener for green 

infrastructure planning and development. The group boasts a strong history of collaboration and 
communication across jurisdictional boundaries. At the 2009 Urban Land Institute-Memphis forum 

“Exploring the Transformative Roles of Greenways,” Mid-South regional greenways, parks, and open 

space stakeholders advocated that greenways are more than just recreational trails. They are engines of 

change that boast an array of enticing economic benefits, support environmental revitalization, promote 

healthy behaviors, and connect our multi-state communities.

This consensus provided the spark needed to bring the Steering Committee together that same year and 

prompted a commitment to meet regularly in pursuit of a common mission: to unite stakeholder voices 

and strengthen efforts to advance an integrated network of greenways in the Mid-South.

In August 2011, the Memphis and Shelby County Office of Sustainability began meeting with 

stakeholders throughout the region to explore opportunities that would be eligible for funding through 

the HUD Regional Planning Grant. The concept of connecting the region through green infrastructure 

quickly emerged as a top idea, validating and confirming the work of the Mid-South Greenways Steering 

Committee. The grant application for the Greenprint was submitted by Shelby County Government in 

September 2011 with letters of support from over 22 regional stakeholders, including municipalities, 

nonprofits and foundations. Notification of the grant award was received in late November 2011 and 

the planning process began in the summer of 2012.

The planning process was driven by a consortium of governments and organizations from public, private, 

nonprofit, philanthropic, and community sectors. Over three years, the consortium membership rapidly 

grew from 22 stakeholder entities to 82, represented by over 300 individuals from the tri-state region, 

engaged in one of eight working groups. In addition, over 3,000 regional residents were engaged 

through a public participation phase including public meetings, outreach to community groups, and 

online engagement.

(Information provided by MAAG and available here: 

http://midsouthgreenprint.org/about/background-and-process/)